Stephen Malone
- Deadly Premonition
- Persona 4 Golden
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is the most barebones of a farming simulator. While updates have been promised to fix the technical issues and inject some life into it, it's not worth playing in its current state.
The switch to a new genre doesn't always benefit its combat, but everything done to recapture Persona 5 works splendidly, from the writing to the music and visual design. This is the first ancillary Persona title to feel like a proper sequel rather than just a spin-off.
I don't know if Richard's advice works, but that's beside the point. Less important than its efficacy is the fact that it's manipulative, sleazy and degrading.
The Medium doesn't revolutionize the horror genre, but it's a compelling entry that's worth checking out.
Cyberpunk 2077 is a great timewaster filled with plenty of opportunities for dumb fun that come from the clever implementation of future tech into its combat. Unfortunately, it fails to deliver on the clear ambition in its writing, mostly due to the clutter that drowns out its few moments of true inspiration.
While it may struggle to hold a solo player's interest, Phogs! is a fantastically delightful and easygoing co-operative experience.
Five Dates is a clever dating sim that does a lot of things right to stand out from the crowd, but unfortunately ends early enough that it can't leave much of a lasting impression.
Paradise Killer may not be for everybody, but by focusing so singularly on one niche aspect of games, it makes detective work more engaging and memorable than any other game of its kind.
Deadly Premonition 2 is a competent sequel that comes close to reaching the heights of the original, but falls short due to sloppy gameplay, technical issues and an unwillingness to stray too far from its comfort zone.
Battle for Bikini Bottom isn’t an exemplary 3D platformer in and of itself, but it’s above average for licensed games and its clear passion for the SpongeBob property sets it apart. The Rehydrated remaster is a wonderfully accurate port that makes it accessible for old and new fans alike.